TCS Q2 net profit up 1.8% to Rs 8,042 crore

Its Board has declared a second interim dividend of Rs 5 and a special dividend of Rs 40 per equity share of Re 1 each of the company.

IMAGE: Tata Consultancy Services CEO Rajesh Gopinathan. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Country’s largest IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Thursday reported 1.8 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 8,042 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2019.

It had posted a net profit of Rs 7,901 crore in the year-ago period, TCS said in a BSE filing.

Revenue of the Mumbai-based firm grew 5.8 per cent to Rs 38,977 crore in the July-September quarter compared with Rs 36,854 crore in the same quarter of the previous fiscal, it added.

TCS, whose results kick-off the earnings season for tech companies, also said its Board has declared a second interim dividend of Rs 5 and a special dividend of Rs 40 per equity share of Re 1 each of the company.

“We ended the quarter with steady growth despite increased volatility in the financial services and retail verticals.

“We remain confident as the medium and longer term demand for our services continues to be very strong, as evidenced by our Q2 order book – the highest in the last six quarters,” TCS CEO and managing director Rajesh Gopinathan said.

Brexit talks are going nowhere, so could Theresa May’s deal be revived?

Next week there is a Queen’s speech, a crucial EU summit and MPs will meet for a rare Saturday sitting in Parliament. But with hopes for a Brexit deal diminishing, what is going to happen?

:: Listen to All Out Politics on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Adam Boulton is joined by Sky’s political correspondent Kate McCann, Times columnist Matthew Parris and author and academic Joanna Williams.

Delta Air Lines Inc Q3 adjusted earnings Beat Estimates

Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL) announced a profit for its third quarter that increased from the same period last year.

The company’s profit totaled $1.50 billion, or $2.31 per share. This compares with $1.32 billion, or $1.92 per share, in last year’s third quarter.

Excluding items, Delta Air Lines Inc reported adjusted earnings of $1.51 billion or $2.32 per share for the period.

Analysts had expected the company to earn $2.26 per share, according to figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts’ estimates typically exclude special items.

The company’s revenue for the quarter rose 5.1% to $12.56 billion from $11.95 billion last year.

Delta Air Lines Inc earnings at a glance:

-Earnings (Q3): $1.51 Bln. vs. $1.24 Bln. last year.
-EPS (Q3): $2.32 vs. $1.80 last year.
-Analysts Estimate: $2.26
-Revenue (Q3): $12.56 Bln vs. $11.95 Bln last year.

-Guidance:
Next quarter EPS guidance: $1.20 – $1.50

EuroMillions: record £170m lottery jackpot winner comes forward

The lucky winner of Tuesday’s record £170m EuroMillions jackpot draw has come forward, the National Lottery has said.

Camelot had already confirmed the winning ticket, worth an incredible £170,221,000, was bought in the UK.

The winer, a single ticket-holder entered the draw on 8 October.

More follows…

Ireland sells 2 billion euros of 11-year green bond

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ireland raised 2 billion euros from the sale of its 11-year green bond on Thursday, dipping into an increasingly popular market for the second time at a yield well below its debut a year ago.

Ireland received 11 billion euros worth of orders and priced the sale via a sydicate of banks at 24 basis points through mid-swaps, a spokesman for Ireland’s National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) said.

That implies a yield just under 0.24 percent versus 1.4 percent when Ireland sold the then debut 12-year green bond in October 2018.

Gold Hovers Near One-week High Amid Mixed Trade Signals

Gold prices hovered near one-week high on Thursday amid safe-haven buying in the wake of a slew of conflicting reports around today’s U.S.-China trade talks.

Spot gold edged up 0.1 percent to $1,506.93 per ounce, after having touched as high as $1,516.77 early in the session, its highest level since Oct. 3. U.S. gold futures were little changed at $1,511.55.

The United States and China made no progress in deputy-level trade talks held on Monday and Tuesday in Washington, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) said, citing sources.

The White House has denied reports suggesting that Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is planning to leave Washington on Thursday after just one day of minister-level meetings.

A report from Bloomberg News said China is still open to reaching a partial trade deal with the U.S. as long as Trump doesn’t impose any more tariffs.

It was said that Beijing was ready to offer non-core concessions like purchases of agricultural products without giving in on major sticking points.

The U.S. tariff rate on about $250 billion of Chinese goods will increase to 30 percent from 25 percent on Oct. 15 if no progress is made in the negotiations.

Gold prices are also receiving some support from the prospect of more policy easing from the Federal Reserve, as indicated in the Fed minutes on Wednesday.

Former reporter loses more than 200 pounds to start new career as Texas police officer

Texas man loses over 200 pounds to become a deputy

Deputy Chad Dodge details his weight loss journey that made his law enforcement dreams come true on ‘Fox & Friends.’

Former Texas reporter and blogger Chad Dodge lost more than 200 pounds to answer his "calling" and become a deputy at the Montgomery County Constables Office.

Dodge's passion for law enforcement sparked when he was covering a story at the Montgomery County Police Academy a few years ago.

Appearing on "Fox & Friends" Thursday, he told host Ainsley Earhardt: "Just covering a lot of stories about law enforcement and becoming friends with a lot of law enforcement agencies and their workers. And, I realized that that's what I wanted to do. It was a calling."

On Tuesday morning, Deputy Dodge was sworn in and started his patrol duties that evening.

He encouraged those looking to undergo a similar transformation "keep going" and reach for their goals.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP

"I really am just learning, because I have no experience in law enforcement beforehand," he explained. "So, it's all fresh to me. Even at 42 years old learning something new is exciting."